


Date Me (Alone)

by Akira_of_the_Twilight



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers Tower, Established Relationship, Failed Dating, Insecure Steve Rogers, Jealous Steve Rogers, M/M, OT3, Polyamory, Threesome - M/M/M, poor communication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-17
Updated: 2015-10-17
Packaged: 2018-04-26 16:53:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5012452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akira_of_the_Twilight/pseuds/Akira_of_the_Twilight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve would be lying if he ever said he had never been jealous of his best friend and lover Bucky Barnes. That being the case, never had Steve imagined when he and Bucky began their polyarmous relationship with Tony that he’d want to lock Bucky in a closet just so he could spend five damn minutes alone with Tony.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Date Me (Alone)

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [Date Me (Alone) 只与我约会](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8609890) by [Akira_of_the_Twilight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akira_of_the_Twilight/pseuds/Akira_of_the_Twilight), [sylviadusihan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sylviadusihan/pseuds/sylviadusihan)
  * Translation into Русский available: [Пойдем на свидание (но только со мной)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10645911) by [Happy_me](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Happy_me/pseuds/Happy_me)



Steve would be lying if he ever said he had never been jealous of his best friend and lover Bucky Barnes. That being the case, never had Steve imagined when he and Bucky began their polyarmous relationship with Tony that he’d want to lock Bucky in a closet just so he could spend five damn minutes alone with Tony.

The relationship had formed months ago, and at the time Bucky and Steve had been a couple on their own, so there had been a lot of attempts early on to make certain Tony never felt excluded or like he was just a kink. Steve had been adamant that Bucky and him couldn’t go out together alone—Tony had to be present or else they stayed in. After a month of that, Tony had rolled his eyes and smacked Steve upside the head.

Since then, Steve and Bucky had gone out alone quite a bit, but the dates between the two of them were few compared to the ones that included Tony.

The three of them were happy and perfect; Steve couldn’t ask for anything more.

Then about a month ago, Steve realized something:

He’d never been alone on a date with just Tony.

Steve had just gotten back from a mission one evening when he’d made the discovery.

He’d come home to a tower empty of his two loves. Out of habit, Steve tilted his head back and asked Friday, “Do you know where Tony and Bucky went?”

“I believe Mr. Barnes decided to cash in one of his favors with Tony, and the two of them are at a roller rink. I can tell you which one if you like, Mr. Rogers.”

Steve shook his head. “No. It’s fine. They’ll probably be back soon anyway.” It was almost midnight, even if they lived in New York, a roller rink couldn’t possibly be opened past eleven at night. Tony and Bucky had to be on their way back by now.

“Patterns indicate that Mr. Barnes and Tony will not return until around two ‘o clock in the morning.”

Steve grabbed the hem of his shirt and rolled the article of clothing over his head and off. “I guess the three of us do stay out late quite a bit.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but the patterns I was referring to are solely those of Mr. Barnes and Tony’s dates.”

“Yeah, our dates.”

“No, Mr. Rogers. Bucky and Tony’s. Not yours, Bucky, and Tony’s.”

“Oh.” Steve tossed his shirt into the laundry hamper and headed toward the bathroom. He was going to take a long relaxing shower; his muscles needed it after the week he’s had. “Just curious, how long do the three of us stay out together?”

“Usually until around one-thirty.”

Interesting. “How about when it’s just me with Bucky or me with Tony?”

“Mr. Barnes and you clock in around twelve thirty.”

“And Tony and me?”

Steve kicked off his boots, stripped off his pants and undergarments, and turned on the shower. He shoved his hand under the spray to test the temperature.

Friday still hadn’t responded by the time Steve had finished checking the water.

Friday should have been able to calculate the results faster than Steve could utter another word. Had the AI malfunctioned? “FRIDAY, is something wrong?”

“Forgive me, Captain, but I was just rechecking my data, but after a thorough investigation, I must inform you that such information is unavailable.”

Steve stepped into the shower. He closed his eyes and let the spray hit him in the face before turning around and letting the water cascade over his back and shoulders. “Tony blocked access to that information?”

Other than FRIDAY being faulty or tampered with, there was no other reason Steve could fathom for why FRIDAY would not share the information with him.

“I’m sorry, sir, but that information is unavailable because it does not exist at this point and time. You and Tony have yet to go on a date without Mr. Barnes or a third party present.”

Steve chuckled. “Check your data again, FRIDAY; Tony and I have gone on dates.”

“I already have checked numerous times, sir. From the time you asked to now I have searched my memory banks for the information over a hundred times. Unless there is an instance you can recall that I do not have access to, my information is correct.”

“Two weeks ago, I asked Tony out to that Italian café Bucky and I found during one of our runs.”

“Tony invited Mr. Barnes along, sir.”

Oh. Right. Steve had forgotten.

“The movies. I took Tony to see that big sci-fi one that he called a comedy of errors.”

“Mr. Barnes found out and tagged along.”

Steve snapped his fingers as a memory came back crystal clear. “That romance movie that everyone was talking about, but Bucky refused to see, so I went with Tony.”

“That one turned into a team activity once Ms. Romanoff learned of your plans. Thor loved it, and declared it an epic piece that should the true tribulations and wonders of love.”

Steve wracked his brain. There had to be a moment he was forgetting. “Bucky goes on missions just as frequently as me. Tony and I have to have had a date.”

“While your assessment as to the frequency of Mr. Barnes’ missions is accurate, Tony and you stay in during his time away.”

“Stay home dates are still dates.” Steve grabbed the shampoo off the shower’s small shelf and dropped a glob in his palm. He lathered his hair until his head was buried under a hat of bubbles. He tipped his head back and let the water wash away the froth.

“But, sir, I cannot say when you two frequently return home when you two never leave.”

“Okay, but we have been on a date with just each other, correct?”

FRIDAY didn’t answer.

“FRIDAY?” Steve shut off the shower. He slid open the shower door and reached for his towel on the rack.

“I’m sorry, sir, I felt the need to verify the information I am about to present you. You and Tony have had many stay home dates that do not include Mr. Barnes; however, you two have never been alone on these dates. One or more of your teammates always joins you.”

Steve wrapped the towel around his waist. “Can’t be.”

“I regret to be the bearer of bad news, but in this instance, Mr. Rogers, you and Tony have never had a date alone.”

If Tony wasn’t the mastermind behind FRIDAY, Steve never would have believed the AI, but he knew Tony would never design an AI to make such mistake. And as much as Steve liked to believe that something had gone wrong with FRIDAY’s programming, Steve couldn’t recall a memory of a date, and thus have proof FRIDAY might have a virus or her programming may have been altered unbeknownst to the Avengers.

“I really haven’t gone on a date with him.” Steve stared at the floor, his insides hollowed from shock.

Tony boisterous laughter from the bedroom shook Steve out of his stupor.

“Bucky!” Tony cried out in exultation.

Bucky’s deep chuckles accompanied the sound of rustling bed sheets and clothes.

Steve pushed open the bathroom door.

Tony laid on the bed, hair tousled, shirt torn open, and arms above his head. His chest heaved from heavy breaths caused by arousal and joy as he stared up at Bucky through half-lidded eyes.

Bucky was shirtless, his prominent muscles standing out next to Tony’s hidden ones in his lithe frame. Brown strands fell into Bucky’s eyes, tickling the corner of his mouth where his smirk ended. He straddled Tony and used his position rub himself against Tony.

Tony moaned and let his head fall to the side so he was facing Steve.

Steve’s mouth went dry and his blood rushed south at the erotic display.

Tony’s eyelids fluttered and his face scrunched. “Steve?” Tony’s eyes widened and he sat up, his chin bumping into Bucky’s chest. “Steve? When did you get here? I thought you weren’t coming back for two more days.” Tony made grabby hands at Steve in invitation.

Steve chuckled. Some might have found the childish action the opposite of seductive, but from Tony it got a rise out Steve every time. He loved Tony’s earnestness. He loved the way Tony eyes grew twice in size and sparkled with so much want and love.

Steve couldn’t deny Tony anything when he made those eyes at him. He sauntered over to the bed but stopped just short of it.

Tony whined and reached for Steve’s towel. “You’ve been gone too long. You owe me sexy times.”

“Don’t lie, Tony.” Bucky swooped down and sucked a deep bruise into Tony’s neck.

Tony’s mouth opened in an inaudible gasp. He closed his eyes and leaned into Bucky.

Bucky smiled with wicked delight as he pulled back. “Everyone here knows what you really want is cuddles.”

Tony scowled and tapped Bucky on the nose. “I want sex too.”

Bucky hummed noncommittally. He batted his eyelashes at Steve. “Hey, stranger. Think you can help me sate this cuddling beast?”

“Don’t ignore me.” Tony bit Bucky’s shoulder.

Bucky tsked and shook his head at Tony. “Missed the erogenous zone completely.”

“Give him a break, Bucky. He’s only had forty or so years to figure out sex, whereas we’ve had ninety.”

Tony tucked his head under Bucky’s chin. He hugged and nuzzled Bucky. He paused in his affection and cast half-lidded eyes with a salacious smile over his shoulder at Steve. “If that’s the game you two want to play tonight, I’m all for it.” He craned his head back and kissed Bucky’s chin. “Teach me,” Tony embedded lust into his words.

Bucky shuddered, his fingers settling on Tony’s hips. He licked his lips as he looked toward Steve. “I don’t know, Steve. You think he can handle it?”

Steve hummed in thought as he placed one knee on the bed. “Don’t know. I hear he is a fast learner though.”

“So fast.” Tony peppered Bucky’s chest with kisses. His mouth hovered near Bucky’s nipple where he paused and grinned at Steve conspiratorially.

It was Steve’s turn to shudder.

“We won’t know until we try though,” Steve said and threw off his towel.

The sex that followed was enthusiastic with moments of playfulness, roughness, and tenderness spread throughout. It was amazing and a reflection of their relationship.

After it was done, Steve lay in the center of their trio with both of his lover pressed against him.

Tony’s chest rose and fell with each soft exhalation. His head lay on Steve’s chest, his mouth just a few centimeters from Steve’s nipple, making it difficult for Steve to concentrate on anything. Tony’s legs tangled around Steve’s right one. Despite having climaxed more than once, Tony’s cock was at half-mast and prodded Steve’s thigh.

Steve had wrapped his arm around Tony and was gently drawing circles above Tony’s ribs.

“You’re thinking too hard,” Bucky sighed from Steve’s left.

Bucky was half rolled over on top of Steve’s with his metal arm wrapped around Steve’s waist. He pushed himself closer and nudged Steve’s neck with the tip of his nose.

“Got a lot on my mind.”

“Want to tell me?” Bucky asked.

Steve’s brow pinched. He should tell Bucky. Bucky could help him. There was just one problem: he didn’t want to.

He didn’t want Bucky to know that he had failed Tony as a boyfriend—that he had never taken Tony out on a date when Bucky wasn’t around.

It was the kind of thing that would make Tony think Steve somehow loved him less.

Steve tensed. What if that was exactly what Tony thought?

Bucky scowled. “Okay, what is it? You went from perfect human pillow to rock pillar in a second.”

“Sorry.” Steve took a deep breath to relax his muscles. “I just remembered that I forgot to fill out one of the sections on the report I gave Fury for the mission.”

Bucky expression read: Do you think I’m a fucking idiot?

“Honest,” Steve said.

Bucky’s expression morphed into: Really, dumbass? You want to play this bullshit game? I have won this game so many time over the years, you’re doomed.

“Bucky,” Steve implored.

Fuck you and you’re begging, Bucky’s face read.

“Please.”

Bucky huffed and turned his head away.

Steve kissed Bucky behind the ear. “You know I’ll tell you eventually.”

“That’s the only reason why I am not forcing the answer out of you right now.” Bucky glanced backward. “And because Tony’s sleeping. Guy hasn’t gotten a decent night’s sleep since you’ve been gone.”

Steve squeezed Tony tighter.

Tony mumbled something in his sleep and burrowed closer to Steve.

Steve was going to take Tony out on a date even if it killed him.

* * *

The following morning Bucky was in the shower and Tony was cocooned in all of the bed’s blankets and refusing to leave his nest for anything less than two mugs of coffee.

Steve did one better and brought Tony a tray with two plates stacked of food (eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, toast, and pancakes), two mugs of coffee, and a glass of orange juice. He slid the tray onto the nightstand and rolled onto to the bed.

“No,” Tony whined and tugged the blankets over his head.

Steve snaked his arms around Tony and pulled the sleepy body close to him. He ran his fingers up and down Tony’s sides in what looked to be a loving gesture, but what was really Steve searching for weakness in Tony’s burrito of blankets.

Steve nuzzled his nose into the blanket, burrowing past the fluffy barrier until his lips touched skin and the edges of Tony’s goatee. “I have coffee. Two mugs just for you.” Steve shifted so his mouth was directly over Tony’s. Steve planted a chaste kiss. “There are also pancakes and eggs.”

Tony squirmed. “Need more than that?”

Steve’s fingers had found a weak point in the blankets along Tony’s sides. He smirked as he slowly unraveled the burrito. He distracted Tony with another kiss then slowly slipped his hands under Tony’s shirt and stroke his back, loving the feel of warm, soft skin under his fingers.

Tony moaned and pressed closer to Steve.

Steve withdrew and hopped off the bed.

Tony squawked in indignation. He threw the blankets off himself and gaped at Steve. “How dare you? You don’t kiss a man like that and then leave him. That’s cruel, Steve.”

“ _That’s_ cruel?” Steve picked up one of the mugs of coffee and brought it to his lips.

Tony lunged forward and took the coffee from Steve, not caring that the jerky action caused coffee to slosh onto the carpet.

“You said the coffee was mine.” Tony glared like a petulant child as he sipped from his mug.

Steve snickered. “So I did.”

Steve reclaimed his spot on the bed and pecked Tony on the cheek. “I’ve been thinking, we should spend some time together. Let’s go to one of the tourist towns nearby and blend in with the crowd—see how long we can go before someone demands an autograph. Maybe get some ice cream or even stop off at an art house on the way home, if you don’t mind?”

Tony plucked a piece of bacon off his tray of food and nibbled on it. “Sounds cheesy.” He grinned. “I love it. What do you think, Bucky?”

Steve’s nerves jumped at the question.

He turned, expecting Bucky to be standing there.

Bucky wasn’t, but the bathroom door had been pushed open and the steam leftover from Bucky’s shower was rolling out.

Steve had been so preoccupied by Tony he hadn’t noticed Bucky had finished his shower.

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll even wear the pink baseball cap you got me,” Bucky hollered from the bathroom.

Tony chuckled. “Great.”

Steve forced himself to maintain his smile.

This was just a minor setback. It wasn’t as if he didn’t want to spend time with Bucky. A date with all three of them would be delightful. He was just disappointed that he couldn’t correct the fact Tony and he hadn’t gone on a private date right away. He still had some time before he’d have take off again though, so he didn’t need to worry.

He’d get his date with Tony before the next mission.

* * *

 Starting with something small was always a good plan, which was why Steve was standing in front of Tony’s favorite bakery, waiting for his boyfriend to arrive.

Steve glanced at his watch. Tony was five minutes late, which was nothing compared to other times Steve and Bucky had tried to meet up with him after work. Even with Pepper running Stark Industries, Tony still spent a hefty chunk of time at the company, and while Tony did his best to maintain a nine to five schedule, things tended to go haywire for him.

“Hey, Steve. No Tony yet?” Bucky waved as he strolled up to the bakery, hand in his pocket and his jacket half hanging off one of his shoulders.

Steve’s brain jolted and replayed the moment he’d asked Tony out on a date. It had been over the phone, so Steve couldn’t say with a hundred percent certainty that Bucky hadn’t been around to hear the conversation from Tony’s end, but considering Tony had been at SI when Steve had called, Steve doubted it. Steve also knew for a fact that he had made sure Bucky wasn’t around to hear his end of the conversation. So how did Bucky find out about the date?

Bucky reached an arm around Steve’s shoulders and hugged Steve.

Steve returned the hug. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?”

“Tony invited me. He figured this way I could pick out my cannoli, since I give him so much shit when he brings them home for me. Not my fault he always picks the ones with the least amount of filling.”

“I forgot you like the cannoli here.” And Tony was thoughtful enough to invite Bucky. If Steve had remembered that tiny detail he would have picked a different place, somewhere Tony and Steve liked to go, but Bucky absolutely loathed.

“By the way, you should stop by Tony’s workshop later. We’re going to make things explode.”

Steve frowned.

“We wear our safety goggles and all that other safety equipment when dealing with explosions, I swear,” Bucky defended.

Steve hadn’t been frowning about that (although, Bucky did bring up an excellent point). He was more perturbed by the fact that Bucky had once against planned alone time with Tony, and if it weren’t for Tony inviting Bucky on their date, Steve would have never known.

How many times had Bucky and Tony met up without him? It couldn't be that many times. Steve and Bucky spent a good portion of the day together when Tony was at SI, and then most of the evenings were shared between all three of them.

Still, it rankled Steve how easy it seemed to be for Bucky to get alone time with Tony, while he was struggling.

“There are my favorite super soldiers,” Tony crowed as he stepped out from his car, a few parking spaces down from the bakery.

Steve shoved down his insecurities and greeted Tony warmly.

* * *

_“So booored. Pep is keeping me captive until I look over all of these.”_ Attached to the text message was a picture of a pile of papers that went from Tony’s waist up to his shoulders.

_“I thought every thing at your company was on computers.”_ Steve typed back.

_“It is!”_ Tony responded. _“Pep’s just being evil because I made half of the board cry yesterday. She used to think making them cry was awesome. Now all I hear is ‘diplomacy.’”_

Steve chuckled. He was on his way back to Avengers Tower after volunteering at an animal shelter for the morning. The rest of his day was free and he planned to—

Steve froze, realization dawning on him.

He was free the rest of the day, Bucky was off doing his own thing, and Tony was at work pleading for a distraction from all of the paperwork Pepper had given him.

Wouldn’t it be romantic if Steve surprised Tony and a showed up unannounced?

Steve hailed a cab. He could run to SI and be at the company in a few minutes, but he’d be covered in sweat. Walking helped him avoid sweat, but the increase in time was too much for him. He was too excited. He needed to be with Tony five minutes ago!

There was no way his plan could backfire.

A taxi rolled up in front of him and Steve hopped in.

The first half of the journey went by smoothly, the second half resulted in Steve paying the taxi driver, jumping out of the car in the middle of bumper to bumper traffic, and sprinting the remaining distance.

About a block away from SI, Steve stopped off at a florist cart and bought a bouquet of daises. He walked the rest of the way to avoid damaging the flowers (it killed him a little inside to slow down, but the image of Tony’s face when he saw the flowers was enough to taper his anxiousness).

When he entered the posh building, Steve was quickly greeted by the receptionist. Steve smiled in turn and headed toward the elevator; he already knew what floor Tony worked on.

Another minute, and Steve was pushing open the door to Tony’s office.

Tony let out a sound of horror and delight as Steve stepped into the room. His face was flushed and his eyes dilated.

“Steve!” Tony cried out, voice a mix of shock and pleasure.

Tony folded himself over his desk, gasping for breath and boneless.

Steve dropped his flowers and ran toward Tony. “Tony, are you—”

Bucky’s snickers came from under the desk.

“Bucky?” Steve questioned.

Tony was shoved back a bit from his desk. A moment later, Bucky popped his head out from under the desk, grinning like a dastardly fiend. A white drop of Tony’s release stained the corner of Bucky’s mouth. “So you got Tony’s messages too?”

Steve’s jaw dropped.

This wasn’t possible. He could not strike out this many times with his boyfriend. It had to be a statistic anomaly.

“Keep your mouth open like that, and I’ll think you want some of what I just gave Tony.”

Tony’s head fell back and he groaned. “You’re just so proud of yourself, aren’t you?”

“Why shouldn’t I be?” Bucky licked the corner of his mouth, finishing off the last of the semen.

Tony scoffed, but a smile played on his lips. He reached down to brush a strand of hair out of Bucky’s face.

That was the moment Steve wanted to lock Bucky in a closet and run off with Tony until they finally had their solo date.

“I have to go.” Steve darted for the exit.

“Steve?” Tony and Bucky shouted in unison.

Steve hurried to the elevator, but was stopped just short of his destination when Bucky clamped onto his arm and yanked him around. “What the hell, Steve?”

Steve broke Bucky’s hold. “I just need a moment to sort myself out.”

“What are you talking about? One moment you’re surprising Tony with flowers, the next you’re running out of the room. You don’t run.”

“Tactical retreat. As I said, I need a moment to clear my head and figure some things out.”

A faint thump that no normal human would hear caught Steve’s attention.

Tony stood in the doorway of his office. His trousers had been buttoned, but the zipper was only halfway up and his shirttails were bunched haphazardly into his pants. He braced himself against the doorframe, his head bowed and his hands bunched into fists. He took a deep shuddery breath then walked back into his office.

Steve’s heart lurched.

He’d known Tony long enough to know the genius was probably in his office beating himself up for some falsely perceived slight he had made.

Bucky whacked Steve on the arm. “If you’re not going to tell me what’s bothering you, at least tell Tony. He has enough issues as it is and doesn’t need the added stress and paranoia that you’re going to break up with him. Which knowing Tony, once he gets to that point, he’ll take it ten steps further and assume I’m going to break up with him too, and you and I are going to run off, get married, have babies, and not invite him to the wedding or baby shower.”

Steve swallowed hard. If only Bucky _knew_. Everything Bucky had said was correct, but there was one critical piece of information that could also be fueling Tony’s insecurities (if the genius was aware of it): the lack of a private date between him and Steve.

Bucky hit Steve again. “Will you move it? Either you go in there and spill your guts, or I’m going in there, and if I do…” Bucky smirked. “Well, let’s just say Tony and I will be enjoying ourselves while you spend the next few days seething with jealousy.”

Once again, Bucky’s words hit their mark in ways he probably had not intended.

“You’re right.” Steve squared his shoulders. “He deserves to know.”

“Damn right.” Bucky pushed Steve toward Tony’s office.

Steve shook his head at Bucky’s antics, but headed toward Tony’s office. He knocked gently on the door then walked in before Tony could answer. He wanted to be courteous, but he knew Tony, and when Tony got in a dark mood he pushed the people closest to him away.

“I didn’t say you could come in.” Tony had taken up residence at his desk where the pile of papers he’s taken a picture of early that day lay.

Next to the papers was the bouquet Steve had bought for Tony.

The simple gesture was a punch to the gut. To anyone else the fact that Tony had taken the time to pick up the flowers and set them on his desk would be trivial, but Steve knew there was so much more behind the gesture. If someone else had brought Tony flowers, Tony would have tossed onto the closest available surface, but because it had been Steve, Tony had taken them to his desk to keep them close and admire them.

It was Tony accepting the gift, Tony accepting Steve’s love for him.

Or sadly, after Steve’s retreat, it was more likely that in this instance that it was Tony clinging on to the last sign of Steve’s affection for him.

Steve took a deep breath and splayed his hands on top of Tony’s desk. He tried to look Tony in the eye, but his boyfriend was determined to focus on the papers in front of him.

“I’m sorry, Tony.”

Tony shrugged, initialed, and flipped one sheet of paper over.

“Tony, talk to me.”

“You can leave a room whenever you want, Steve. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I do. I upset you.”

Tony snorted. “Honey, you do that almost every time some jackass tries to destroy or conquer the planet. It’s okay; I do it to you too. That’s kind of our thing.”

Steve couldn’t take the fact that Tony, while verbally acknowledging Steve, was still ignoring him. Steve wrapped his hand around the one Tony was using to write with and forced his boyfriend to stop signing off on R&D projects. “This was different.”

_Finally_ , Tony lifted his head and looked at Steve. “How so?”

This was it; this was Tony offering Steve a chance to explain everything, and Steve’s stomach was in knots. How does one say: I got jealous of our shared boyfriend because you and I haven’t gone one date together, but you and him go on dates all the time? He didn’t want anyone to think he loved Bucky less because he was so focused on getting a date with just Tony, and he didn’t want to confuse Tony into thinking that was the case or that the opposite was true (that Steve loved Bucky more than he loved Tony).

It was such a mess.

Tony glanced at his papers.

Steve’s heart leaped in his throat. He was losing Tony.

“I’m jealous of Bucky!”

Tony reeled back. “What? Are you saying you got mad because Bucky got to blow me and you didn’t? Steve, just give me twenty minutes and I promise you, you can blow me too.”

“No, Tony.” Steve pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “But you’re not too far off.”

“Steve?” Tony pushed himself out of his chair and walked around his desk so there were no barriers between them. He held out his arms, silently asking for a hug. “What’s wrong?”

Steve dove into the embrace, clutching Tony close like Tony was a security blanket. “I love you. I love you just as much as Bucky, and I don’t ever want you to think differently, which is why I’ve been trying so hard to go out on a date with you.”

“But we go out on dates all the time. We had one yesterday.”

Steve shook his head and buried his face in Tony’s neck. He wrinkled his nose at the sharp smell of WD-40 on Tony’s skin. “We did. _With Bucky_.” Steve pulled back just enough so he could read Tony’s expression.

Wrinkles of befuddlement lined Tony’s face. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but… you’ve stumped me. What exactly is wrong here?”

So Tony hadn’t noticed the lack of dates between him and Steve. In some way Steve was relieved and in another he was disappointed.

Steve slipped out of the embrace and took Tony’s hands in his. “Tony, Bucky and I go on dates when you are busy with work. When I’m on a mission, you and Bucky go out on dates. Tony, what do you and me do when Bucky is away?”

Tony cocked his head and thought about it. “We usually stay in. Do a lot of couch cuddling and movie watching. Sometimes you draw while I work on prototype designs.”

“And how often does someone usually join us?”

Tony opened his mouth to retort then snapped it shut. The wrinkles along his brow increased as he sifted through his memory for the answer. “Always.”

Tony’s eyes lit up with understanding. “We’ve never gone out on a solo date together.”

Steve nodded. He was grateful that Tony’s reaction was more stunned than upset.

“Wow…that’s absurd. We’ve been dating for half a year just about. How did that happen—or not happen?”

“I guess we both like to cuddle a lot.” Steve smirked.

Tony laughed and squeezed Steve’s hands. “That’s true, but if you ever tell Bucky I said that I will kick your ass.”

Steve shrugged. “It’s your broken foot.”

“I’ll kick your ass with my suit on.”

“Well, in that case, I won’t hold back when I stop you.”

“Smartass.” Tony rolled his eyes as he leaned forward and pecked Steve’s mouth. “All right, Steve: You. Me. At least one night out the next time Bucky goes out on a mission.”

“Or you two could go out tonight and I will vegetate on the couch in the living room with Clint,” Bucky said from the entrance.

“You were listening in?” Steve scolded.

Bucky snorted and strolled into the room. “It’s not listening in when I can hear you two from the hallway.”

“You could have left the hallway,” Steve pointed out.

“I did; I came in here,” Bucky answered.

Tony snickered. He glomped onto Steve and hugged him tight as he fought down his giggles.

Bucky grinned at his two boyfriends. “So since you two will be going out tonight, I think both of you should make it up to me by showering me with your undivided attention right now.”

Bucky hopped onto Tony’s desk, crossing one leg over the over as he leaned back, giving an excellent view of his abs when his shirt rode up. “I always wanted to see how sturdy this thing is.” Bucky patted the desk.

“Sounds like my kind of experiment.” Tony stretched and kissed Steve. “What do you think, Steve? Does it sound like fun?”

Steve grabbed Tony’s hips as he met Bucky’s gaze in challenge. “Sounds like a good idea. We should probably test out the couch too, if Bucky thinks he can handle it.”

Bucky spread his legs. “Just try me.”

**Author's Note:**

> As always, feel free to chat with me on [tumblr](http://akira-of-the-twilight.tumblr.com/).


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